Red Ranger Lameness?

[Jasonpdx]

Hi All. I'm hoping someone can tell me what is going on. I am raising a flock of red rangers for meat birds. So far 2 have gone lame somehow. They were fine--walking around, foraging, etc. Then one day i noticed that one of them was not walking around with the others. She was just sitting in the chicken tractor and not coming out. I reached in and took her out and saw that she could not walk. it was like her legs just didn't work right any more. She would flop around and try to flutter back to the tractor, but her legs could not hold any of her weight. That was about 2 weeks ago. Now, I found that another bird is having the same issue. It is as if both hips are dislocated or something. It can't stand up at all. It just sits in the grass. I've heard stories of Cornish Cross becoming immobile because of their extreme growth rate. Maybe that is what is happening here? I was under the impression that Red Rangers didn't have these kinds of problems. There doesn't seem to be any injury.

I got these birds as baby chicks in mid-April, so they are only about 8-9 weeks old. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jason

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi All. I'm hoping someone can tell me what is going on. I am raising a flock of red rangers for meat birds. So far 2 have gone lame somehow. They were fine--walking around, foraging, etc. Then one day i noticed that one of them was not walking around with the others. She was just sitting in the chicken tractor and not coming out. I reached in and took her out and saw that she could not walk. it was like her legs just didn't work right any more. She would flop around and try to flutter back to the tractor, but her legs could not hold any of her weight. That was about 2 weeks ago. Now, I found that another bird is having the same issue. It is as if both hips are dislocated or something. It can't stand up at all. It just sits in the grass. I've heard stories of Cornish Cross becoming immobile because of their extreme growth rate. Maybe that is what is happening here? I was under the impression that Red Rangers didn't have these kinds of problems. There doesn't seem to be any injury.

I got these birds as baby chicks in mid-April, so they are only about 8-9 weeks old. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jason

Hi Jason. I'm sorry you are having troubles.
Can you post some photos of them, preferably standing up if possible. If you have video that might be good too, upload to youtube and provide a link.

Were your birds vaccinated for Marek's?

 

[Kris5902]

I’ve experienced the exact same thing with one of mine. Are the chicks female by any chance? Mine are currently ten weeks old (tomorrow, actually) and they have been attempting to crow for several days. Mine happened about a week ago and I was going to process her myself, but never got around to it. She’s been in a 2x2 Hardware cloth box, inside of the tractor for the last week. Two days ago she started walking again. But I noticed when I’d be moving her in and out of the box at moving time, there was a cockerel trying to mount her quite aggressively. I think this and her massive size is what strained her legs.

 

[Kris5902]

Another thing I did was every day at moving times I would try to get her to stand and walk, by supporting her weight with my hands while I watered and fed her. I also have some CX, and there’s no appreciable size difference between most of my rangers and two of the CX. They are all very large. I’ve been moving them twice a day, forcing them to walk to feed. Still many would prefer to lay down and just eat.

 

[mixedbreeds]

I raised 15 of them 3 years ago and had 3 of them end up the same kind of way and they were not overly heavy either. All and all I was not impressed with red rangers, I went back to Cornish X

 

[Kris5902]

It may be line/hatchery related... but the 2 rangers in with my friends CX actually out performed them in weight gain over 8 weeks. I have 37 remaining from my 40 chicks, so overall their survivability is ok IMO. Just the one case of not being able to walk. There is quite a variation amongst them in size/mobility. And coloration, but that may be based on my source.

I would suggest some separation, and @Jasonpdx, you’re getting close to Harvest age, if she spends too much time down, there may be some bruising of the Breast Meat, you might want to consider harvesting her early (as I had initially planned for mine) or keeping her near but separate from the rest of the birds to avoid pecking.

It also depends on your plan for harvest and local regulations. If I have too high a percentage of immobile/lame birds I will be “down checked” and my entire order will be sent back, none of my birds would be processed. It’s not a return just the “sick” one,its basically all or nothing for processing here. That’s primarily why I was going to process her myself, i just didn’t find the time and then she stood and walked again.

 

[Jasonpdx]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think this second bird is a rooster. I think you are right, and I should just process this one early. The first bird that had this problem I processed early because she looked like she wasn't going to make it anyway. I'm processing them myself.

 

[Jasonpdx]

Hi Jason. I'm sorry you are having troubles.
Can you post some photos of them, preferably standing up if possible. If you have video that might be good too, upload to youtube and provide a link.

Were your birds vaccinated for Marek's?

I don't believe they were vaccinated. the place I ordered them from gave them a booster shot of some sort before shipping, but I think it was just antibiotics. I don't have a lot of birds and the meat chickens are kept separate from my small egg flock.

Any concerns with eating birds that have Marek's?

 

[Jasonpdx]

I raised 15 of them 3 years ago and had 3 of them end up the same kind of way and they were not overly heavy either. All and all I was not impressed with red rangers, I went back to Cornish X

I went with the RR instead of the CX to avoid the health issues that I'd heard about in the CX because of their extreme growth rate and size. Most of my RR are just fine. So far only 2 have had this issue. I'm still a few weeks away from processing them. Hopefully no more will get this!

 

[mixedbreeds]

I had 15 Cornish X at the same time never had a problem with them didn’t have any deaths or leg problems. It could have been the stock I don’t know.